Ascension: Finality
by voice of morgoth
Summary: Every story has an ending.


The howling winds swirl across the dead planet. Fire and ash burst into the sky as thousands of innocents scream in terror before being silenced by a wave of crimson energy. Two figures emerge from the epicenter of the cataclysm. A tall, slender man in a tuxedo and bowtie walks forward. He appears human, save for his pale skin and cold yellow eyes. At his side is a lady with an ethereal white dress, appearing almost heavenly, save for her malicious grin.

"So… it begins, brother."

"Yes. It's been so long since we've fought. I do hope my skills haven't slipped since then." Thamiezel says with a mad twinkle in his eye. The vampires have grown powerful enough to rival the other demon lords. They have fought ceaselessly to unite the divided circles of Hell ender one banner. Lucifer, the Dragon of Revelations, has nearly regained his full strength. He has dominated the fourth circle of Hell, overthrowing the rule of Belphegor and claiming one of seven keys to the prison of Cocytus. All seemed to be going to plan. But the forces of Paradise would not permit Lucifer to return to full strength. The war Thamiezel and Zelestra once fought to bring about has finally begun. The war they now fear with their darkened hearts, knowing that the cost of it is too great, and that no matter which side gains victory, the universe will have suffered too much.

Now, on the edge of the universe, the twins look out into the cosmos. On one end, a thousand gates to the realm of Paradise open, unleashing the entirety of the Heavenly Host. On another, a massive weight that crushes galaxies with its presence bursts into the universe, and the swarm of Xexanoth prepares to consume all things. And all around the twins, gates to the realm of Inferno are opened, unleashing the full might of all nine circles of Hell. Demons, some smaller than the twins and others the size of planets, come forth to fight under the banner of Pyriphlegoth and Lucifer. And at the center of the madness, two siblings watch and wait for the battle to begin. Swarms of angels and demons charge against each other. Both sides are ready to end their long game, no matter the cost to the cosmos. Both empires are filled to the brink with powerful souls capable of destroying planets by themselves. And as the twins prepare for the final war, a lone figure approaches them. The familiar scent of pine and oak fills the vampires' nostrils, and the warmth of Gaia emits from the center of the creature that stands next to them. Thamiezel's and Zelestra's bodies burn from their brother's presence.

"So, you made it. I didn't think you'd show." Thamiezel says, smirking at his brother.

"I got no choice. Too many innocents are about to suffer. I've got to do what I can to save them."

"So we're together again. After all these years."

"Yeah… guess so."

"Have fun slouching around with Gaia?"

"No, I was working on stopping this… trying to convince the angels to relent… but now we're here."

"But we get to see each other again." Thamiezel and Zelestra announce together, genuinely happy to have met with their brother again. The three siblings look on into the growing flurry of war. Thamiezel and Zelestra no longer feel harm from their brother's closeness, having trained their minds to retain control of their vampiric bodies. Then Thamiezel, Zelestra, and Ty charge into battle, prepared to fight until the very end for the future, for a new utopia, free from the shackles of warring gods.

Years pass as the war spreads through every corner of creation. Years of meaningless butchery and chaos as the three siblings battle monsters from all sides of the great conflict, and battle for their own sanity in the face of the ruinous war. Needing rest, the three pawns of fate hide from the conflict upon a ruined moon. Ty meets his siblings' crimson eyes. They smile warmly at him despite the bloodshed around them, almost appearing to be ignoring the cosmic thunder.

"So… how many years has it been, Tyrone? Since our duel of destiny and my empire's fall?" Thamiezel asks.

"Couple thousand at least. Kind of lost count after a while."

"Same. Years. Cycles. Days. It all blends together in a sea of memories…"

Thamiezel and Ty become silent, contemplating their shared existence. Thamiezel, a butcher who kills for pleasure and once sought to bring about the apocalypse. Ty, a strong-willed warrior who swears to defend the innocent no matter the cost. The brothers are chained together by the strands of fate, forced to fight alongside each other to ensure the side effects of the war do not ruin the countless innocent souls in the cosmos.

"So, is this what your boss wanted?" Ty asks.

"Not entirely. He was hoping for a more… subtle approach. Sadly, Heaven had to come and ruin the fun."

"Yeah, they do that."

Thamiezel smirks at his brother, who maintains his blank expression.

"How do you do it?" Ty asks.

"What?"

"Just… pretend like everything's normal…"

"You get used to it, same as everything."

"Except losing _her_ , right?"

Thamiezel looks over to his sister, who gives a sad smile, remembering how her brother fell, dragging everything down with him.

"It was… different… do you remember when you were a child? And how everything seemed to go on forever? How every moment seemed to last an eternity? Imagine feeling that for a century or two… well, you probably can. Feeling everything fall apart… but then give yourself a demonic mind."

"A demon mind?"

"A gift from our old friend, Bill. He changed me… gave my hatred an inhuman potency."

"And so that's why you fucked everything up?"

Thamiezel grins at his brother. Ty's question lacks the rage and thirst for revenge he once felt. He seems almost curious about why his brother became the way he was.

"No, that was my choice… I could have fought the demonic influence. I could have denied it… but it was too comforting. I made my choices and I have to live by them. I am a devil, Tyrone. I always will be."

Ty looks away, bearing a defeated expression on his face at hearing his brother's confession.

"Did you believe you could save me?" Thamiezel asks.

"I did… I really did."

Tears well up in Ty's eyes, but he maintains his blank expression, seemingly bereft of life. Thamiezel turns away, hiding his shame for bringing more heartbreak to his family. Zelestra coughs to gain her brothers' attention, devising a plan to prevent them from falling into the depths of their despair.

"So… I don't know about you two… but I want to go see what Paz and Wendy are up to."

Ty crooks his eyebrow at his sister, who smiles mischievously at Ty. Thamiezel grins in turn, revealing his sharpened fangs. The vampires become silent, reaching out with their thoughts for the realm of their master. Ty watches his silent siblings, mesmerized by their strange behavior. They seem lost in a trance, their minds elsewhere in the cosmos, almost peaceful despite the raging apocalypse all around them. The twins' minds return to their bodies. They lift their heads up and smile at their brother. Suddenly, another figure reveals itself. A tall shade looks down at Ty, looking deep into his soul. Ty shivers at the sensation, feeling as if every inch of his mind can be seen by the strange apparition.

"What… what the hell are you?"

Ty pushes away from the shadow of Dracul.

"This is our master, brother… the one who seeks to unite this broken universe."

Ty stands to meet the gaze of the demon. Dracul glares down at Ty, distrustful of the servant of Gaia and his grasp on Thamiezel's heart.

"You wish to permit him entry into my world?" Dracul states in a booming voice.

"We do."

"So be it."

The shadow of Dracul vanishes. Ty watches his siblings as they join hands. They begin to merge together, their bodies transforming into a monstrous shadow. A hollow air emits from the twins. They have changed. They have become a doorway into a world beyond the universe. Ty walks forward cautiously, unsure and untrusting of his siblings' master. A hand grabs him and quickly pulls him into the world beyond. The three vanish from the universe. Ty feels the warmth of Gaia vanish from his heart and soul. His connection to the life of the universe is broken. He sees nothing but clouds of crimson ash and smoke, which cloud his vision. He almost wonders if his siblings have betrayed him before the shadows pull back. And what he sees causes him to gasp. It is a world of fire, filled with countless souls flying overhead, and lined with buildings and skyscrapers from worlds long dead, devoured by Dracul's servants and floating in the vast void. Watching over all is Dracul, who appears as a shadowy abyss wreathed in flame. The eye of the great vampire looks down upon his realm, always watching the world below. Portals open and close all over the realm. Demons and eldritch beings emerge into the realm, only to leave moments later, using Dracul's world as a gateway across the universe. The ancient vampire god has begun to press his advantage against his enemies, goading them into self-destruction with his own forces. Angels and demons. Light and Shadow. All manner of beings have sworn allegiance to Dracul.

"He enjoys showing off, does he not, brother?"

Ty turns around and sees his siblings at his side, utterly oblivious for the hellish landscape around them.

"I… what the hell are you?" Ty mutters. Thamiezel smirks as he approaches his sibling.

"This is our master's true form." Thamiezel says, ignoring his brother's demeaning question.

"Welcome to the Order of the Dragon. You didn't think Gaia was the only one watching the game of gods and devils, did you? This world has stood since before God and the Devil even existed! It is a testament to our master's unyielding might!"

Thamiezel twirls and dances as Zelestra walks past Ty. One of the great angelic creatures approaches the three humans, gazing out of a gigantic blue eye. Thamiezel tips his hat to the angel, feigning politeness to the being of light. The angel moves past, uncaring for the vampires as it leaves the realm of Dracul through a portal.

"Gabriel never was a talkative fellow." says Zelestra.

"What the hell is this place?"

"You still haven't figured it out?" Thamiezel and Zelestra say as one. Ty continues looking puzzled.

"This is the realm of Dracul. Our master has existed since the beginning. He has seen empires rise and fall to the waning of the ages. He is the one that remains, forever watchful, waiting to claim this universe as his own. Only three worlds remain. Paradise, Inferno, and Xexanoth. When they are gone the universe will be whole again."

Ty looks into the eyes of his brother and sister and sees the truth. This was their original plan. To goad Heaven and Hell into war and destroy the weakened victor. A hidden power watching and waiting for the pieces to fall into place.

"This… thing? You think someone like this is going to help the world?"

Ty's rebellious words cause the twins to frown. And then they watch as their brother is lifted into the air before being slammed down on the floating rocks. Footsteps echo like thunder on the ground. Four great hooves step on the pavement, walking slowly in a circle around Ty. He looks up, seeing the true form of Dracul. An ancient crimson centaur with two undead dragon heads jutting out from his waist, a long, scaled tail flickering behind, and a bloody, featureless humanoid torso. The ancient being speaks to Ty with a voice that sounds as if an entire universe has turned its gaze upon him.

"You believe Gaia will give the universe salvation? The coward turned against the cosmos when she dared not take the power she could have had. Every war, every battle could have been halted if not for her and her siblings' cowardice. Deserters. Cowards. They flee from war and bask in their dwindling glory. I curse their name forever!"

Ty stands, glaring up at the ancient beast that has insulted Gaia.

"You think you're going to _save_ everyone by fucking everything up?!"

"I attempted to bring this world under one order through peace twice. And twice these methods have failed."

Ty goes silent, hearing the words of the old demon. And he clenches his fists, realizing that the monster speaks truth in its harsh words.

"You… you really think they're going to sit down and let you walk all over them?"

"They will be too weak to defy my will… I pray you do not attempt to insult me in my own realm again."

With his will made clear and his anger at being insulted revealed, Dracul vanishes, returning to his post watching over all. Thamiezel and Zelestra walk over to Ty. They both release a relieved breath.

"Well… that went slightly better than expected." Thamiezel says.

"It did. They didn't even try to rip each other apart."

Ty opens his mouth to protest before deciding against it, not wanting to argue with his deranged brother and sister at the moment. He simply grunts in aggravation.

"So, now then, Wendy." Thamiezel says, reminding Ty of the reason for travelling to the dark realm. Thamiezel reaches out with his mind, searching for the soul of Wendy amidst the sea of spirits. He finds her with Pacifica and the souls Thamiezel claimed from Earth.

"Let's be off."

Thamiezel and Zelestra take Ty through the dimension of fire, focusing on their loved ones. Ty thinks about his last encounter with Wendy. About the words of hatred thrown at him. About his love for her fading from the realization of who she is. He wonders what she'll think when he returns after millennia apart. The three descend to a palace in the image of Thamiezel's old fortress floating amidst the crimson dimension. Ty and Thamiezel land on solid ground while Zelestra continues to float through the air. Ty walks through the mist of spirits, seeing the only two beings who still have their physical forms. Pacifica and Wendy sit on a couch, watching a television. Ty can't help but giggle slightly, alerting Pacifica and Wendy to his presence. It takes them several seconds before recognizing Ty, who looks just like his brother but lacks Thamiezel's signature marking on his forehead.

"T-Ty?" mutters Wendy. He nods with a somber face, slightly afraid of her response after so many years of being apart. She jumps at him, dragging him down to the ground. He stutters slightly, not having expected her to receive him so warmly.

"I, whoa… what?"

Wendy slaps Ty, and then she kisses him, and then she punches him in the gut. He wheezes despite his supernatural power, completely caught off-guard. Thamiezel and Zelestra giggle at their brother's predicament.

"I've been waiting two thousand years to do that, Tyrone."

Wendy laughs along with her lovers, happy as tears of joy pour down her cheeks. Ty manages a weak smile as tears splash on his face, happy despite all the years spent away. Wendy moves off of her past lover and allows him to stand.

"I… it's been a long time, Wendy."

"Too long." she responds, moving a stray hair away from her face.

"I… what have you been doing? Just, hanging out here?"

"Pretty much." Wendy says with a smirk.

"Doesn't it get boring?"

"A bit. But our vampire buddies think I'm not cut out for fighting an intergalactic war."

"Inter- _dimensional_ war." Thamiezel states, correcting her.

"Nerd."

Thamiezel and Wendy laugh despite the looming war. The small respite gives Thamiezel and Ty the strength to return to the battle. But Ty is hesitant to leave. Even after the pain she caused, he still wishes to stay with Wendy for a short time, before he returns to the insanity of Armageddon. Ty takes Wendy's hand in his, motioning for her to follow him. Ty begins hovering in the air, pulling Wendy up with him. He separates from his siblings, exhausted by their chaotic nature and wishing to spend time alone with the one he still holds love for.

"So… what have you been up to, Ty? Can't be much to do in 'Nature-ville.'"

"I was working to stop the effects of the war. Try and keep a close eye on as many planets as I could… I tried to convince Gaia to send further aid. But the old gods don't want to fight ever again. Can't say I blame them."

"Yeah… Dip told me about the war. Said it was worse than any other. Worse than the war going on now."

"It was… your boss… who was he? I've never seen or heard of him from the old gods."

"He was one of them. He fought for the First Evil in the beginning. But he turned against that thing."

"So… you're working with Gaia's old enemy. The Blood God she called him."

"Yeah. He's been waiting. Waiting for all the other psychos to wreck themselves."

"Then he swoops in and conquers the remainder."

"Yeah… so, how've you been?"

Wendy chuckles slightly at her question, realizing how long it's been since they've met.

"Besides this? Not much. I've been keeping Waddles company. The pig Waddles. Not your giant dragon buddy."

"How is the porkly fellow?"

"He's good. Happy. Oblivious."

"Lucky him." Wendy says as a large dragon flies past the two. The ancient creature hovers in the void of space, uninhibited by gravity in the dimension of Dracul. The creature then leaves through a gateway, prepared to continue fighting in the long war.

"So… Ty… you don't… ah forget it."

"What?"

"Just… it's nothing."

"If that were true, you wouldn't have brought it up."

Wendy laughs slightly as she moves closer to him, longing for his company after so many years.

"You want to… start over? Fresh?" she mutters.

"I… I think… yeah."

"You think?"

"I… well… it hurt, you know? Hurt loving… and it hurt because I _did_ love you… and… and I don't know how to feel about all this… two thousand years and I still don't know… but… if it hurt for two thousand years… then it must have been real, right? And… and I want to feel that way again…"

"If… if you don't want to…"

"I never said I didn't… it's just… you and him. My brother… you're both…"

"Different?"

"Yes. That."

Ty releases a deep breath, still unsure of how to move forward with his feelings. He stops flying through the air and hovers motionlessly with Wendy. He laces his fingers with hers and smiles into her eyes.

"I… I just don't want to hurt…" he says. Wendy's smile fades, feeling the pain she caused him all those years ago.

"I… I'm sorry… I fucked up."

"It's… it's alright, Wendy…"

Ty moves closer, feeling her hot, demonic breath on his face. He presses his lips against hers as his hand grasps her long, flowing ginger hair. The two stay in their embrace as the chaotic realm surges with dark energy. Thunder rumbles in the distance as the two hold each other. Time ceases to be in their moment together. And then Ty moves away, looking deep into Wendy's eyes.

"I… I'll stay, Wendy."

"And I'll try not to fuck it up again."

Ty and Wendy laugh at her vow. Ty and Wendy wander through the dark realm for hours. Time passes in a daze as Ty remembers how he felt when he loved Wendy. Her brash, outgoing personality. Her fiery nature to match her fiery hair, seemingly unafraid of anything. Ty and Wendy watch as the armies of Dracul move between realms. A giant monster with hundreds of eyes and faces floats past. Wendy waves to the creature, which seems to respond by blinking all eyes randomly and waving a tentacle.

"You know him?" Ty asks.

"Yeah. He used to keep tabs on the Malebolge, but when Dip destroyed it he decided to stay here. We play video games every other week or so."

Ty snickers at the idea of video games being played in the dark realm. Before long, Ty and Wendy return to the tower. With Ty's strength renewed, he's ready to return to battle. But then they see Thamiezel, Zelestra, and Pacifica waiting for them in a circle. Ty wonders what his siblings have planned when he sees two spirits floating next to the three. Ty approaches the strangers, who look at him with a somber gaze. If they had their physical bodies, he knows they would be crying. And Ty begins to piece together the identity of the strangers.

"…Mom? Dad?"

"It's… it's us." the siblings' mother says. Thamiezel, with the flick of his wrist, emits a wave of power that embodies his parents with renewed human form. And, for the first time in their lives, Ty embraces his mother and father. He begins to cry despite never knowing them before, never having felt their love.

"I... we have a lot to talk about." Ty says, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, we do." his father replies. Thamiezel conjures several chairs for his family and lovers. The siblings and their parents sit in a circle with Wendy and Pacifica. The entire family has been brought together for the first time.

"So… do you remember me at all?" Ty asks. An uncomfortable silence sweeps over the group, save for the echoes of distant thunder.

"Heaven… really messed your memory up, didn't it?"

"Yeah. I… I'm just… I'm sorry." Ty's mother mumbles. The words force themselves out, her voice sounding pained. The siblings' father attempts to speak, but his words fail him. Nothing can measure the pain brought forth.

"So… what was your life like?" Ty asks his father. The man is silent for several seconds, having to think back to his time on Earth, so many years ago.

"Well… I met your mother… in California. We dated for a bit before settling down. Trying to figure stuff out for ourselves… then we had… had you three… we stayed in Piedmont for most of our lives. Stayed to ourselves. Raised your siblings. And then they went to Gravity Falls… everything changed."

The man shudders slightly, remembering the pain of hearing of his son's death. And then the fear when he realized that Dipper had not died, simply transformed.

"So… Tyrone… what was _your_ life like?" the siblings' mother asks.

"It… not much. My mom… fake mom, she was a bitch. Had a lot of garbage friends. Some really bad boyfriends. Probably why she kidnapped me, trying to get one to stay. There was a lot of yelling, some drugs in the house. Although it didn't get _real_ bad until the last guy."

"The one… he…"

"He killed me, yeah. Then I floated around as a ghost for a bit. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

Thamiezel is the only one to respond to Ty's joke, snickering slightly before being elbowed by his sister. Thamiezel wheezes from the blow to his chest as Ty continues speaking with his parents, ignoring his mad brother.

"So yeah… that's about it." Ty says. The meeting becomes silent again. No one knows how to continue the conversation. Then Pacifica coughs to gain Ty's attention.

"Uh… what's Gaia like?" she asks.

"She's, uh… different. Kind. And caring. But completely uninterested in any wars. Even if it helps."

"She agreed to let you come?"

Ty shifts his gaze. For the first time since Armageddon began, he reveals the truth of his return. Thamiezel grins, realizing his brother left Gaia's world to fight in the war.

"I… I sort of… left."

"So, you went rogue. And she didn't take your powers away?"

"No… I left before she could take away my power."

"You've got a little of me in you, don't you?" Thamiezel says with an arrogant smirk.

"Guess so… so when did you two become… lovers?"

Ty points at Thamiezel and Zelestra, his siblings. The siblings' parents look towards their two children, no longer disgusted by their strange bond.

"It was after I had changed… after I became a demon."

"After I became a mother." Zelestra adds, looking down while thinking of her family, long ago having gone their separate ways.

"So that's why you didn't stay."

"Yeah… thought my moody brother could handle it… or find a way to move on."

Zelestra chuckles slightly, attempting to hide the pain in her voice as she thinks back on how her brother went mad while she lived carefree in Heaven.

"I should have been stronger." whispers Thamiezel.

"Nah, I should have stayed. Derp-for-brains here kept letting her bro down."

"Eh, I was overly dramatic."

Zelestra stifles a laugh before punching her brother again. He rubs his arm as his family laughs slightly at their shared misery. Even Ty manages to smile, amused at their seemingly cursed family. He realizes that his brother and he shared the same fate while never knowing of each other's existence.

"And now we're together again… so what do you guys do for fun around here?"

"Well, there's a movie coming out by Vlad's cousin." the siblings' mother says. Ty smirks, more than slightly amused by the absurdity of television in the dark realm. Instead, for hours, Ty and his family speak together, wanting to make up for all the time spent apart from each other. But the need to return to battle remains. Thousands of worlds are threatened by the war. Every minute wasted means another planet may be destroyed. With his heart content, Ty stands, ready to join the cosmic war yet again.

"So, Dipper, Mabel… we should go. We've got our strength back. We need to keep fighting."

Ty offers a hand to his brother, who takes it happily. Zelestra stands with her brothers, looking back at her family as they return to spirit form.

"Don't go dying too much out there." Wendy says.

"We won't. We always come back." Thamiezel replies. Wendy and Pacifica smile as the three siblings return to the normal universe. The still war rages on, neither side gaining an advantage over the other as the universe quakes with the many wounds of battle. The exhaustion builds in their hearts, each day spent battling until their minds are numb and their spirits broken. But still, they press onward, never letting the madness of war prevent them from saving as many as they can. As the battle grows, Ty begins to look deeper into his brother's eyes. He sees past the mask of evil fully, recognizing that Thamiezel truly hasstarted to change. His lust for war has nearly faded, instead replaced by a desire to protect as many as he can from the chaos.

As Thamiezel holds a broken demon in his hands after a long battle, he sinks his fangs into the monster. He spills every drop of its blood and energy, yet he kills the monster quickly, not desiring to cause more harm than needed. Thamiezel's kills are now quick and to the point, no longer delayed tortures of enemies giving him sadistic joy. Zelestra has begun to change as well. Her vicious bloodlust has begun to dwindle. She no longer kills for sport, or for the hunger of blood and power. Yet they maintain their mask in the face of their enemies, no longer believing themselves worthy of redemption. They smile despite the obvious pain in their eyes. And as the war lingers on, Ty himself begins to feel the pain and sorrow of endless conflict, his once proud and diligent heart withering as the ages pass. As the three again rest from the war in the realm of Dracul, Ty looks over his brother's wounds. Weakened from endless fighting, Thamiezel bleeds from his broken body. Ty attempts to repair the damage with his own magic. Gaia's magic pierces Thamiezel's body, but her power simply weakens him further.

"You thought that would work?" Thamiezel says with a pained laugh.

"Worth a try. That last angel knocked you around pretty good."

"Yes… quite painful."

Pacifica and Wendy walk towards them, looking over their companions. Zelestra sits to the side, watching her two brothers sit together peacefully. Thamiezel's wounds begin to heal as his strength is restored. Ty remains close, worried for his brother's safety and sanity. Wendy approaches and sits next to her two lovers, her eyes darting between them.

"So, ready to admit you need my help?" Wendy says. Thamiezel laughs slightly, still feeling the pain of the last battle.

"Yeah, we could probably use another soldier. The war's picking up speed. Almost nowhere left untouched now."

"Yeah… so how bad is it out there?"

"Worse… far worse than before. Pyriphlegoth and the seventh circle have emptied into the universe, along with the elite armies of the sixth and fifth Hells. Yaltabaoth and his choir of archangels have entered the fray. Michael has proven to be a vicious bastard. Nearly vaporized me in one blast. He missed and hit the Andromeda galaxy instead. Blew the whole thing up."

"So there really is an angel named Mikey?" Wendy says with a laugh.

"No, that's just our word for him. His real name is… hold on a second."

Thamiezel coughs to clear his throat. And then he produces a gurgled scream, and his voice trembles with howling screeches. Then he coughs and punches his chest.

"Human lungs are not built to produce such names." Thamiezel jokes, wheezing slightly and giggling. Wendy smirks as she looks to Ty, and then back to Thamiezel. The vampire has also begun to smile, a devious twinkle in his eye.

"What are you two up to?" Ty asks. Wendy moves closer to Thamiezel. And then she kisses him. A heated, loving kiss that makes Ty's heart twitch with jealousy. Then Wendy stops. She turns to Ty and gives him the same kiss. Her arms wrap around his neck, holding him sensually as she presses her lips to his. Ty can see Thamiezel moving closer to Wendy's legs. The sensual moans from Wendy echo down his throat, and he knows exactly what his brother is doing to the siblings' lover. Pacifica and Zelestra move closer as they watch the others become more driven by desire. Ty, feeling Wendy's hands move lower, wrapping around his throbbing member, begins to forget that he's being watched. That his brother is pleasuring Wendy, Ty's lover, while they kiss. That his brother and sister are beginning to pull him into their web of lust. Wendy moves away from Ty, looking deeply into his eyes and grinning mischievously.

"So, Ty. Wanna keep going?"

"I… yeah…" he mutters, breathing heavily. And then he's pulled up in the air, hanging precariously with his legs held open. Black tendrils hold him, exposed and bare for all to see. The tendrils are attached to his vampiric brother, who grins with gleaming white fangs. Thamiezel closes in, a predator that has caught his prey in a death grip. His hands slither around Ty chest, taking in the texture of his perfect body. The vampire encircles his brother in his arms, pulling him closer until their face to face. Thamiezel's hot breath is on Ty's neck, ready to bite in and drink deep of his blood.

"Tyrone… brother… how I've wanted you."

Ty's breathing is deep and slow, the feeling of vulnerability overcoming him. The feeling of his once hated brother holding him lovingly.

"We're the same, aren't we, brother? I've always felt… different for you. From the moment I laid eyes on you… I've wanted you."

Ty's blood rushes through his body. He feels his ears burning and his heart pounding. He doesn't care about the pain he's been through. He doesn't remember the brutality his brother and he put themselves through. He simply wants to numb his mind, to not think about the pain and indulge in lust.

"I… do it…" Ty moans. Thamiezel smiles as he sinks his fangs into his brother's neck. He ignores the sting of Gaia's power as he drinks in. Then he moves up, meeting Ty's eyes, and kisses him. Thamiezel's clothing vanishes, leaving him bare. He holds Ty's legs open, pressing his tip at the entrance. One of Ty's arms frees itself from Thamiezel's grasp. He wraps his arm around his vampire brother and pulls him closer. And then he feels his ass spread apart as Thamiezel thrusts. Ty lets out a gasp. He has never felt this sensation before. He pulls Thamiezel closer, wanting him more.

"You… more…"

Ty's eyes roll up in his head as he leans back. He feels Thamiezel's hand grasp his member, moving up and down. A long fingernail tickles Ty's exposed, red tip. Soon Ty feels hot liquid squirting deep into his body. Thamiezel moves away, looking down at Ty. The servant of nature opens his eyes, moaning heavily as he hears footsteps moving closer. Zelestra, now nude and bare, embraces Ty from behind. She looks down into his eyes, smiling happily. And then her eyes burn with lust. She quickly mounts Ty, dragging him into a hug as Thamiezel enters Ty from behind. Ty pumps into Zelestra as she wraps her arms around him, resting her head in his neck. She suckles his skin, driving out louder moans as he pushes in faster. All three are held by Thamiezel's long tentacles, allowing them to embrace in the air as Wendy and Pacifica grind against each other. Zelestra's heavenly moans pierce the air, driving Ty's primal mind further and faster.

"Oh… oh fuck, Ty!"

Zelestra squeals joyfully. The sound drives Ty to the end. He gushes deep inside, pushing even as he pours his seed inside. Zelestra squirts and jerks with the joy of her orgasm, grunting and moaning as the three siblings collapse in a pile, twitching and moaning in lust. The three lay down together, soon joined by a tired out Wendy and Pacifica. The joined family lay together as the minutes pass, not yet wishing to part with each other.

"I… that was… amazing…" moans Thamiezel.

"I… yes, bro-bro… it was…"

"I… fuck…" Ty mumbles, too drained to move away. Ty, with his senses returning, begins to realize what he has done. His brother and sister made love with him. And he didn't fight it. He gave no words of protest, too exhausted by the mad battle to care and simply wanting to indulge his senses. But now, realizing what he has done, he begins to push away from his siblings. He stands up and stumbles slightly, looking down at the pile of delirious lovers.

"I… I shouldn't have done that…"

Ty turns away, his heart racing and paranoia filling his thoughts.

"I… if Gaia finds out… she'll think I've turned. They'll think I'm-"

Ty's thoughts are cut off as warm, loving arms wrap around him. Thamiezel drags his brother back down, holding him closely to prevent Ty from leaving.

"If Gaia's worthy of your loyalty, brother, then she won't care who you screw on the side." Thamiezel says. He holds his brother closer, desiring to remain at Ty's side. Thamiezel's insistence brings Ty back to his side. Ty's breathing slows and his nerves settle. His fear is replaced by a need to remain with Wendy and his brother and sister. The triplets remain in the dark world as the hours pass, slowly rebuilding their strength before they return to war. Ty floats with Wendy and Thamiezel through the abyss, wondering about the path he will take when the war is over.

"So… I've been thinking. About us. About our family."

"What about it, Ty?" Wendy replies.

"Just… what we're going to do when this is all over."

"Are… you aren't gonna ditch me again, are you?"

"No. God no… but how will we… stay together?"

"I don't suppose your boss would let me come with you, would she?"

"I think so… but then there's you, brother." Ty says, turning to Thamiezel.

"Yes, me. Me, me, me… Gaia would frown on the things I've done. I doubt she would approve of our… complicated relationship. But I do not believe she would prevent us from seeing each other."

"She might. She never did like demons… especially if she figures out who your boss really is. They have history together, I know that."

"Yes. Their pasts are stained in bloodshed and ruin… so much ruin. All for nothing, since Heaven and Hell picked up where the old gods left off. Childish games, the lot of it."

Thamiezel chuckles at the misery of the universe. He laughs in the face of the warring cosmos, forever at the brink of oblivion from the conflicts between gods and devils. Thamiezel and Ty soon return to the frontlines with Zelestra, leaving Wendy and Pacifica in the safety of Dracul's shadow.

With the descent of Yaltabaoth and Pyriphlegoth's breaching of the cosmos, the war enters its darkest hour. Galaxies are sundered in the echoes of battle. Stars and planets are vaporized with little effort or thought. Civilizations are wiped from the cosmos, and the souls of the dead are harvested to fuel the great warriors. Zelestra and Ty battle against a swarm of angels as Thamiezel holds off a legion of demons sent by Pyriphlegoth to destroy Lucifer's lieutenants. Zelestra sees a powerful angel attacking Ty from the side.

"Ty, on your left!"

Ty turns to face his attacker, a gigantic orb of light with six great wings jutting out of its back. Ty concentrates his divine magic into his hands, piercing the angel with the spear of Gaia's power. Ty breaks through the creature, disintegrating it with his magic. Zelestra devours the remains of the angel and uses its soul to regain her strength. Thamiezel returns to his siblings' side, weakened from his battle with the demons. The angels begin to pull back, and Thamiezel sees in their hearts the beginning of the end. They too are weary of war and of serving a god who does not fight alongside them. The three siblings begin to see the three battling kingdoms crumble from within. Demons abandon their masters to hide away in the dark corners of the universe. Angels turn against their god, beginning to see him as corrupt as the demons they fight against. Xexanoth's power begins to crumble as its conquered souls regain their free will, shredding the god's body into masses of meat that attack each other. And all the while, Dracul goads the tired kingdoms further into destruction through his servants on both sides.

The three siblings return to Dracul's realm. Thamiezel and Zelestra wait with their tired brother. He seems bereft of life. He has been moving through the motions of fighting and saving others as a puppet. The battle has drained his soul to the breaking point.

"Can't stand it, can you?" Thamiezel says. Ty glances at his brother before looking away.

"This… this isn't how it should have been."

"Yes… you're right. But we have to make do."

"It doesn't seem like it matters. We save one soul, a thousand more get fucked."

"Better than a thousand and one, don't you think?"

Ty turns to his brother, who smiles warmly, with no sign of the sadistic monster he pretends to be in combat. Ty smiles back, relieved at his brother coming out of the darkness.

"Funny, usually you're the one whining." Ty says.

"Yes, usually, but since you're the one who needs cheering up right now, I'll be… optimistic." Thamiezel replies, hesitating to speak of optimism as if he'll catch a sickness. Ty stretches and wiggles his head, attempting to shake the tiredness from his soul. A lone spirit drifts past the tower. Thamiezel gives a wave to the spirit, which descends to the tour to meet with the twins.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan." Thamiezel says.

"Hey… am I seeing double? Is my cataracts back, somehow?"

"No, that's just Tyrone, our hippie brother." Zelestra replies. Ty gives a wave in response. Stan remembers his chance meeting with Ty from millennia past. A hidden sibling of Thamiezel and Zelestra.

"You're back. I take it it's getting pretty bad out there."

"It is. But I don't think the war will last much longer. Not with both sides losing support so quickly." Ty replies.

"So… where's your brother, Grunkle?" Thamiezel asks.

"He's, uh… we aren't talking… again."

"Such a volatile relationship. My sister and I never fought this bad."

"At least my bro and I never knocked down a few planets when we were angry."

Thamiezel chuckles at his great uncle's joke. He lifts his hand up, ready to receive a high five.

"Don't leave me hangin', Grunkle."

"I'm a ghost, if you've forgotten."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

Thamiezel returns his great uncle to his physical form. The gruff and grumbly man scratches his chin as he stumbles over to Thamiezel and Ty.

"Gotta get used to legs again." Stan says to himself, focusing on maintaining his balance after so long in spirit form. He high fives Thamiezel, and then sits down.

"So, what have you been up to these last couple millennia, Tyrone?" Stan asks.

"Not much… just helping out where I could. Trying to stop the war from coming. But I guess it was always going to happen."

"Sucks… so much shit going down, and for what? Why do those pricks hate each other so much?"

"It all started with Yaltabaoth and Tartarus. You think we have family problems? Those psychos used to consider each other siblings. Now they won't rest until the other is being tortured for eternity." Thamiezel responds. He sighs, tired of the endless fighting. But Ty, gaining a second wind, prepares to return to war.

"So, Dip. We should get back."

"Yes. The battle must continue."

Ty and Thamiezel prepare to return to the schism of war with their sister. They enter the fray, ready to end the long game any way they can. The hordes of Pyriphlegoth and Tartarus battle against the elite soldiers of Yaltabaoth. The worlds of light and infernal darkness throw everything they can against each other. Thamiezel and Ty are all but powerless as the greatest demons and angels ruin entire galaxies with their conflict. But finally they see the beginning of the end. The great powers are at a standstill.

"They've stopped fighting, save for Yaltabaoth and Pyriphlegoth. This… I had not expected." says Thamiezel, thinking aloud as he watches the remaining warring factions on the brink of destruction. Angels and demons line up across the stars. They are forced into the cataclysm by their masters. But they resist at every turn. They turn away, and in this moment, Thamiezel, Zelestra, and Ty see the path towards peace.

"We have to stop them… before they are all destroyed." Ty says. Zelestra looks to her two brothers. They nod in affirmation, knowing exactly what must be done. Zelestra flies with haste to the frontlines of the angels. The creatures of light make their home amongst ruined stars and broken gates to Paradise. She assumes the guise of one of them, hiding her dark powers from the tired warriors. Thamiezel approaches the temporary throne of Pyriphlegoth and his general Tartarus.

" _Fight back!"_ screams the ancient demon Tartarus, desperate to destroy Yaltabaoth after billions of years. He tears at the souls of those who remain, pressing them forward into war.

" _Pathetic."_ Thamiezel thinks.

" _Utterly pathetic."_

The two great demons turn on the rebellious voice. They see the vampire that has fought as one of their most vicious warriors, now turned against them.

" _Thamiezel the butcher…_ you _defy us?"_

" _Yes. This war has gone on long enough… too much has been lost to your pathetic games. Too much has fallen because you and your brother have hated each other for so long… I dare say these words. This war is at an end. You have no part to play anymore."_

The demonic guard of Tartarus turn on Thamiezel. Ten great demons, each as strong as the vampire, stand against him. But he does not relent. He does not allow the demons to sway him from his path. Thamiezel grins and giggles.

" _So this is the war you wanted? A thousand years of torment and ruin? You pathetic creatures… you have allowed yourselves to be claimed by these false gods and devils. You have let these monsters torture you beyond all measure. And for what? The petty feud of ancient siblings?"_

Thamiezel laughs in mockery of Tartarus's game. He laughs in the face of one of the oldest creatures in existence as if the demon was nothing but a mere child. Tartarus bellows in his ancient tongue, demanding Thamiezel's soul be brought forth to be tortured in the belly of the demon. But his servants do not obey. His army does not submit.

On the other side of the great war, Zelestra walks amongst the discontent angels. Few remain that believe the war to be just. The army has silently gone against their master. All that is needed is a spark to ignite their rage. Gabriel, brother of Michael and secret servant of Dracul, walks alongside Zelestra as a dark force. They speak in the minds of the angelic soldiers, who even now are whipped and broken by their masters to goad them into fighting.

" _So this is what you have been reduced to? Order against chaos… but this is no order. This is no grand plan of a kind and just god. This is madness. Your god is a false tyrant. A monster."_

Michael, the greatest of Yaltabaoth's angels, looks down at the small form of Zelestra. She looks up at Michael, and she feels the enormity of the being's power upon her, like a flickering light attempting to overpower the light of a star. But she does not relent, knowing that the end of the war is within her grasp. The end of all the suffering her family has gone through. The mind of Gabriel speaks to all his followers.

" _The darkness is our enemy! And within the brightest star hides the greatest darkness! Do not let our false king ruin us any longer! Burn down the false heavens so that true Paradise may descend!"_

Michael attempts to suppress his brother. He attempts to force the old angel to submit with his mind. But Gabriel does not succumb, instead growing brighter and more powerful. The demons turn against Tartarus and Pyriphlegoth. Gabriel leads the remaining angels against Paradise's elite. The armies have turned against their masters. Thamiezel and Lucifer battle against the full might of Pyriphlegoth and Tartarus. Lucifer assumes his full form as the Dragon of Revelations, a monstrous being that dwarfs star systems with the weight of his glory. The fallen angel bathes the stars in fire and ash, pressing his advantage against the two weaker demon lords. Thamiezel meets the ire of Pyriphlegoth and laughs.

" _Ancient demon. I have seen more in my little life than you could ever possibly comprehend. I have gazed upon the greatest wars in creation. I have seen the future set in stone since I came into power. And you have no place there!"_

Thamiezel clashes with the demon king as Zelestra and Ty combine their powers against Michael. The power of Gaia's child and Dracul's servant clashes with the impure light of the false god's chosen warrior. Michael is distracted by his own servants turning against him. His angels and slaves tear at his soul. They turn all their wrath and misery upon the ones who set them against Inferno. But even with his mind distracted, Michael reveals how he became Heaven's chosen warrior. He pierces Zelestra and Ty with spears of light. He ravages their souls with the burning heat of a thousand stars. Ty feels powerless for the first time in thousands of years. Michael's power presses against Ty as a hurricane of divine wrath. Zelestra attempts to aid her brother, but she is torn apart and cast aside almost effortlessly. Zelestra lands on a broken planet and looks up at the angel as it prepares to finish her off. But the angel is caught off guard by an explosion of demonic energy. Tartarus, blinded by rage, charges at Michael and strikes him, sending the angel hurtling through the cosmos. Thamiezel and Ty land near Zelestra. They help their sister stand as Lucifer follows Tartarus against Yaltabaoth, whose attention is focused on battling his wayward child, Gabriel.

"Ow. That hurt." Zelestra says, giggling slightly at the sensation of pain. She turns to her brothers, who stand ready to fight against the mad god of Heaven and his brother, the founder of Inferno. The war enters its final hours as the architects of Inferno and Paradise are thrown down by their own creations. Lucifer and Gabriel break apart the body of Michael, their sibling. Tartarus focuses all of his attention on Yaltabaoth, unrelenting and unstoppable as the two siblings ruin each other through battle. All of creation watches as the mad siblings destroy themselves. Yaltabaoth, driven by the belief in his own divine superiority. Tartarus, forever jealous and wrathful. Now, at the end, they are the bringers of each other's demise. Thamiezel conjures a bag of popcorn, which he eats solemnly while watching the cosmic deities carve themselves apart. Ty looks away, slightly disgusted and unnerved by his brother's joke.

"This is the end." Thamiezel mumbles with a full mouth.

"The end of our war… the end of our suffering. So yes, I'm having a snack. Want some?"

Ty sighs before grabbing a handful of popcorn, deciding to indulge after so many years of war.

"Surprised enough of both sides survived… enough to rebuild, anyways. Enough to pull themselves back together." states Zelestra.

"You think they'll fight again?" Ty asks.

"No… not this way…"

Thamiezel begins to laugh. Ty turns to him, wondering what has brought back his brother's insanity. Thamiezel smiles happily as he turns to his siblings, dragging them into a hug before leaping for joy.

"I can see it now!… the reason we survived all this time! The reason we were guided together!… we were meant to be here, on this day, with Lucifer and Gabriel! This is the moment us Pines were made for!"

"What are you on about?" Ty says.

"You, servant of Gaia. Me, creature of the damned. Zelestra, the fallen angel. Gabriel, Heaven's usurper. And Lucifer, the new king of Hell!... the war was meant to happen this way… we were meant to find ourselves at this crossroads…"

Thamiezel giggles as Lucifer descends to the planet. They watch in awe as Tartarus and Yaltabaoth finally destroy each other. Their spirits scatter across the stars, torn into pieces as their power evaporates out of reality. All is silent, for the first time in many millennia. There are no shouts of victory, or boasts of conquest. There are no threats of continuing the war into the utter ruin of both sides, nor are there sighs of relief. The remaining demons and angels wait across from one another. And then, quietly and without hesitation, both sides leave, returning to their homes. Lucifer enters the gates to Inferno with his demons. Gabriel walks through the doors of Paradise, prepared to take the throne of Heaven. But they hesitate, on the brink of peace. They turn to their servants. And Thamiezel begins to frown. He feels his connection to the realm of Dracul fade.

"No… damn fool, no!"

"What is it?!" Ty shouts.

"He's going to destroy them all! To make sure there's no one with the power to defy him! Damn, there'll be nothing left!"

Thamiezel prepares himself for the battle he'd hoped would never come. A battle he has no chance of winning through his own power.

"I'm going with you, brother." Zelestra says in a low, serious tone.

"Sister, I need you and Ty to hold off Gabriel and Lucifer. I'll deal with my master. This game was set up to fall this way. All the pieces have fallen into place. And I won't let the universe crumble to ruin."

Lucifer and Gabriel hold off on their attack, confused at their master's commands. Before they can obey, Thamiezel's siblings have struck. Their power is barely able to divert the attention of the greatest angels, giving them pause in their task of destroying Heaven and Hell utterly. Thamiezel focuses his dark powers on the gates to the realm of Dracul. Thamiezel breaches the defenses, pressing through into the heart of Dracul's power. The crimson eye of the ancient demon glares down on his rebellious servant. A hellish scream echoes through the realm, driving Thamiezel back. He charges again, attempting to reach the throne of the vampires' king. And again, he is forced back, torn asunder by crimson waves of dark magic.

"YOU WOULD DARE DEFY ME?!"

"Yes, I would!"

Thamiezel pushes forward with greater strength, pressing through his master's defensive barriers with all of his might. Thamiezel expels what's left of his dark energy as he breaks through the final seal, landing at the foot of Dracul's throne in the abyss. The world is dark and cold. And all around is endless blackness, save for the lone figure approaching Thamiezel. The weakened vampire struggles to his feet, oozing blood from hundreds of wounds. He stumbles, approaching his master with a defiant gaze. Dracul wields no weapon and he shows no malice in his stance. Yet his wrath bears down like a mountain on Thamiezel, the feeling of the entire dimension filled with infinite malice. Dracul's anger is focused entirely on Thamiezel.

"You pathetic creature. You thought you had enough power to stand against me? You thought you could use my own might to slay me?!"

"Not… exactly, my master."

"Your words cannot save you now. You have been ensnared by your brother. I will break him and his precious god once I have destroyed all others."

Thamiezel smirks slightly, which only seems to anger Dracul further, causing the four-legged beast to march forward, his body radiating with heat. The space seems to boil around Thamiezel, causing his skin to blister and break open. He resists the urge to scream and forces himself to speak calmly, knowing that the fate of the cosmos hangs in the balance.

"My master… you once told me… that all would be united under one order… you revealed to me… how you had once sought to set the Children of the First to that task. How they failed and turned away from the universe in shame…"

Dracul continues moving forward, his dark power extending over Thamiezel's like a mountain overlooking a tiny mound of dirt. But Thamiezel continues to speak, not letting the pain of his body boiling from within break him.

"You sought to put Lucifer… in command… before you turned on this path, destroying them all… but you were wrong about the old gods… the Children of the First… one was watching… one wanted your universe… your united realm… don't you see? You won already… Yaltabaoth is finished. Michael is destroyed. Lucifer will command Hell. Gabriel will take Heaven… this was the plan from the start."

"Your lies will not deceive me, child."

Despite Dracul's words, his march slows. The power around Thamiezel draws back. The demonic king that has never once lost focus, that has never allowed his relenting will to be slowed, hesitates. Thamiezel looks up at his master, almost pleading for the ancient beast to understand.

"Both sides… may still exist. Heaven and Hell may still hate each other… but they will never go to war again. Their armies serve you through your servants… your will is enacted through Lucifer and Gabriel… they will keep Paradise and Inferno in line. There will still be conflict and uncertainty, but this peace… this truce. This will make us _whole_ again… and no one will ever lose everything again. No child will ever watch all those he loves die and die again, only to live on himself… _please_ , you have to understand."

Thamiezel is thrown off his feet by a sudden gust of wind. Dracul walks forward, each footstep echoing like an earthquake. And, looking down at Thamiezel, Dracul stops. His ancient mind races through thousands of possibilities, thousands of outcomes to reach his goal. Thamiezel looks up at his master's body as it begins to fade. Dracul returns to the dark, removing his hold on Thamiezel.

"Thamiezel… I yield."

The vampire stares at his king, awestruck by Dracul's decision. The proud and arrogant king of the vampires stands down, allowing his servant to regain his powers. Thamiezel has won. Dracul and Thamiezel remain silent as the gates to their realm open. Lucifer and Gabriel, Dracul's greatest servants, enter his dimension. They wonder what sort of mad game their master is playing, approaching cautiously. The two angels hover in place before the throne of their master, looking at Thamiezel as he regains his power and aura of pride.

"There you are. I was almost afraid you didn't get the message." Thamiezel says with a gleeful smile.

"You… you convinced our master to let Heaven and Hell rebuild?"

"I did. Not as easy as it sounds."

"How?" Lucifer asks, for the first time sounding uncertain and surprised.

"We had a very short but very meaningful conversation on why killing off our new armies would be a bad idea."

Thamiezel giggles and jumps for joy, madly happy with his close victory. He tips his hat before returning to the universe, leaving Gabriel, Lucifer, and Dracul to decide how they will begin the reunification of the cosmos. Thamiezel returns to his siblings, who lie battered and broken from their attempts to distract Lucifer and Gabriel. Ty coughs up blood and murky liquid, which shines with the magic of Gaia.

"You… you did it." Ty mumbles before choking on blood. Zelestra giggles playfully at Ty's pain before wheezing herself. The three triplets have overcome the greatest powers in creation and won. Ty can't help but laugh too, realizing how slim their chances of victory were.

"It's just… fuck, it's over." Ty mutters, breathing a sigh of relief. Thamiezel and Zelestra wait as the hours pass. For the first time in a long while, the world is quiet and still. The siblings enjoy the tranquil moment for as long as possible. But their role as the servants of Dracul have not ended. Their task has merely begun. But before they go on their long labors, Thamiezel begins to whisper a summoning spell. He carves ancient symbols into the dirt of the dead planet. Complex symbols of ancient languages, curving into ever increasingly complex patterns down to the atomic level. In the sky, a great presence reveals itself. Ty looks up as Yog-Sothoth, keeper of knowledge, appears before the siblings.

"You have summoned me again, Thamiezel."

"Yes… I have a question… one simple question. Who brought us here? Me, my sister, my brother. Who made us what we are?"

"I did."

Thamiezel giggles slightly. His lips curl up into a devious smirk.

"You did? But you never interfere. What changed your mind?"

"I see all things… I see the beginning and the end. I see how all choices decide fate… but I can no longer see the soul of my sibling… the one you call the First Evil."

"Perhaps it finally vanished. Perhaps it forgot everything and disappeared."

"That is likely… but if there is even the slightest chance of it returning… that is unacceptable."

Thamiezel grins viciously. He is meeting with the creature that forced him on his path of misery and ruin. And a part of him wishes to return the pain upon the ancient deity.

"So… you turned me into a demon."

"No… you were one of several choices."

Thamiezel crooks his eyebrow. His anger begins to fade, replaced by curiosity.

"I foresaw your change into the mind demon. I saw you become numb over time. And as Dracul pressed his advantage, I saw you united with your sister after the war. This is how it would always be… but if the armies of Heaven and Hell were annihilated utterly… if there was nothing to protect the cosmos…"

"Then the First Evil returns and ruins everything. Unchecked, unmatched, unstoppable… so _that's_ why you changed our fate."

"Yes… the alien researching Dracul, I sent to your world. A simple suggestion in his mind. I brought forth Dracul to Earth, knowing that you would become his servant. I had calculated that either through him or Heaven, Zelestra would become a great power. And Ty, I gave Gaia knowledge of your kindness. And she knows that my plans are not to be denied."

"The truth is laid bare… you cheeky devil! You did all this from the start!"

Thamiezel giggles happily. He knows now why fate and luck have always sided with him. Why the universe seemed to conspire to bring him and his family together.

"I have one last question. Why us? What made us so special?"

"Nothing… nothing more than the bond between you three… a curious strength, one underestimated by even the greatest of minds… the love between you and your sister, the connection between you and your brother. It was what gave you the strength to move forward when everything seemed doomed. That was your greatest gift. Not the power of Gaia, nor the might of Dracul. Simply your shared connection."

Ty stares into space, wondering what this means for him and his siblings. Wondering what they'll do now that they know they were manipulated by the unseen will of the old god of knowledge. Ty is torn from his thoughts by a pie thrown in his face.

"I… why?"

"Because you were brooding. That's my job." Thamiezel says, a guilty smirk on his face. Ty laughs at his brother before tackling him to the ground. Zelestra jumps at the pair of them, laughing insanely in relief. And then, after their madness has died down, the vampiric twins prepare for their next objective. Thamiezel and Zelestra take their brother's hand. He looks up at them, curious as to what they're doing. Thamiezel and Zelestra fly with him past the stars, coming to the last gates to Heaven and Hell, still open and ready to receive their new masters. Thamiezel and Zelestra stand at the threshold of the schism between dimensions with Ty. Their long journey has led to this moment. The moment where they go their separate ways.

"So… are you ready, Dipper?" asks Zelestra.

"I am… for the first time, I am. Then again, we aren't going to be separated. Not entirely, anyways."

"What are you two doing?" Ty asks.

"There is a need for us in Inferno and Paradise… to rebuild the cosmos. To restore those we've saved."

"You're leaving?"

Ty's voice reveals a twinge of pain. For the first time, he doesn't want his siblings to go. Thamiezel and Zelestra smirk slyly. And then their bodies begin to fade, entering Inferno and Paradise to serve alongside Lucifer and Gabriel. But two sparks remain. The sparks begin to take form. Two humans with brown hair and brown eyes float before Ty.

"The best thing about being gods? You can be in two places at once." Thamiezel says. Zelestra jabs him playfully in the side. From the gates of Dracul's realm, Pacifica and Wendy float out. The spirits look upon their lovers as the schisms of reality close, leaving the family drifting through the cosmos. Thamiezel takes Wendy's and Ty's hands in his as Zelestra pulls Pacifica closer. They fly through space towards their new home, a place that Thamiezel and Zelestra have hidden from Paradise and Inferno in a pocket dimension of their own making. A lone galaxy appears in their vision.

"Where are we going?" Ty asks.

"Home." his siblings' reply together. Ty, Wendy, and Pacifica look as a planet comes into view. A planet all too familiar.

"You remade it… Earth!" Ty says.

"Yes… after you hightailed it back to Gaia, we started working on it in secret. Rebuilding it, piece by piece. For the day when the war had ended… the day we could be free again."

The family lands on the sterile world. Oceans emptied of life. The landscape is cold and dead, filled with nothing but jagged rock and dust blowing in the wind.

"We have a lot of work to do, brother." Thamiezel says. Ty nods before recreating his ocarina. The song of life, the gift of Gaia's magic, the tool he used to bring the Earth back from death once before.

"Why'd you learn the ocarina?" Pacifica asks.

"I was bored. Thought Link from Zelda looked cool with it."

"Nerd!" Wendy and Thamiezel shout together, earning giggles from Ty and Zelestra. With the war ended, the five companions set out on their long task of restoring their home, together.

… _.._

" _Wake up, Dipper."_

A young boy rolls over in his bed, mumbling and drooling slightly from his bottom lip. A voice, soothing and kind, echoes in his mind.

" _Come on, Lil' Dee. Get up, get up."_

The boy groans before turning over and facing the wall, attempting to ignore the pestering voice in his head.

"Come on, wake up!"

"Ugh, stop it, Mom."

The young boy mumbles as he turns over, opening his eyes to greet his hyperactive mother and his twin sister as they dance a jig and bang pans loudly, doing their best to irritate the young Dipper awake. The boy rubs his eyes and pushes up his hair, revealing his birthmark for a moment.

"I'm up. Stop it." Dipper mumbles. He wheezes as a hard elbow drops on his stomach. He groans and looks up, seeing his sister smiling innocently at him.

"Come on, bro. We got to plan for the big day!"

"Uh, yeah… turning twelve."

Dipper's twin shifts slightly, causing her brother further agony.

"Stop that, Mabel."

Before she can torment her brother further, Mabel's father drags her off. She kicks wildly in the air, giggling madly as she meets her father's kind eyes.

"Mabella, why are you hurting your brother?"

"Because it's fun." she says, giggling harder as Dipper pulls himself out of bed. Mabel's father sets her down and pats her on the head, watching as she runs out of the room, with Dipper running after in an attempt to keep up with his sister. As the sun rises in the sky, Dipper and Mabel prepare to head to school while thinking of plans for their birthday. Mabel runs circles around her tired brother, hyped up on sugar, caffeine, and simple insanity.

"Ooh, we should have balloons, and piñatas with little piñatas inside of them, and chocolate covered chocolate chip cookies with extra chocolate, and RAINBOWS!"

Mabel jumps and shouts happily, causing her parents to giggle at her hyperactive nature.

"Calm down, sweetie. You'll burn yourself out." Mabel's mom says. Mabel blows a raspberry in response before rushing away, Dipper following close behind.

"She's worse than you, sister."

"Shut up, Lex."

Lex receives a punch to the stomach from his sister, who smirks at him as he wheezes in pain.

"Yeah, I deserved that."

"Yeah, you did."

"You don't have to be so proud of it, Bell."

Bell smiles innocently, putting a finger to her lips and feigning innocence. Lex smiles in turn before walking over to the living room, sitting down on the couch as Bell walks in. Bell falls against the couch, resting her head on Lex's shoulder.

"So, twelve years old already. How time flies, my Shooting Star."

"So Lex, did you call Ty yet?"

"Yeah, he'll be here in a couple days. Got tied up with 'work.'" Lex says using finger quotes while rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, that hippie boss of his keeps dragging him down. Why can't she just let him retire?"

"We never did."

"Yeah… you'd think after all this time he'd learn to split himself into copies."

"Because he's not insane, like us."

"Being loopy _does_ have its advantages."

Lex stretches before standing up, preparing to take Dipper and Mabel to school. They arrive in front of the large building. Humans, vampires, and goblins are dropped off by their parents or the school buses. Dipper opens the door and shifts out. Mabel jumps out and beams a smile at her brother, who smiles in turn. They hold hands as they walk up the steps of the school. But today, they see someone they don't want to meet.

"Ugh, Jerel." Dipper moans. Jerry, with an arrogant smile, walks up to the young twins. He pushes the bangs on Dipper's head out of the way and giggles slightly. Mabel doesn't react, knowing that her father is watching and would disapprove of her getting violent. But what they see instead surprises them. Lex's car is gone, but he remains. He walks up to his children and Jerel, baring a mischievous smirk.

"Dad, where's the car?" Dipper says.

"I parked it."

"But how did you have time?"

Before Lex can answer, Jerel flips the hair on Dipper's head again, revealing the birthmark. Lex walks up to Jerel. He towers over the kid, yet Jerel simply smiles, believing himself untouchable.

"You're the dad of the weird kid?" Jerel says. Lex smirks, and Mabel and Dipper can see the viciousness in his eyes. The same look Mabel gets when she's about to scare Dipper with a prank. Lex kneels on one knee, meeting Jerel face to face.

"You think my Dipper's weird? That's not very nice, is it?"

"What's with his face?"

Lex grins while looking over to Dipper.

"That mark?... Well, not many people know this anymore. At least none who exist on this side of the veil… that mark, is the Big Dipper. That marking is a gift. It's a sign of protection from our gods. It is the mark of Thamiezel."

At the mention of Lex's true name, many of the students walking in become silent. A goblin parent walks over to Lex, scowling at him.

"That's not funny, you know. Trying to scare someone else's kid."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right."

Lex stands up and begins to walk away, but not before turning to glance back at Jerel one last time. And, for a split second, Jerel can see the truth. A tall man with shaggy brown hair and dressed head to toe in a black tuxedo. His eyes gleam with mad glee and the chaos of thousands of dead worlds. He wears a top hat, feigning sophistication. And in Jerel's mind, Thamiezel speaks to him.

" _If you ever think of harming my little Dipper… I'll make you scream for mercy, child."_

In the blink of an eye, Thamiezel returns to his guise as Lex. He looks curiously at Jerel as the child's legs quiver in terror. Then Jerel falls on the floor. Dipper and Mabel look down at him, wondering what has terrified him so.

"I'm… I'm sorry." the scared boy mutters. Dipper sighs, far more forgiving than his father. But Mabel continues glaring at Jerel before walking away, giving a wave to her father before entering the school with her brother following close behind.

Once all eyes have looked away from Lex, he vanishes from sight, returning to his car parked back in his driveway. His sister leans against it, looking at him with an amused smirk.

"You know, we aren't supposed to use our powers anymore. At least not on Earth."

"I know, I know. But that Jerel kid was being rude to Dipper."

"I saw. I felt your power shift slightly, your attention focusing elsewhere. I knew you were up to something."

"Yes. It won't happen again."

"It better not. Don't need anyone figuring out who we really are."

"Yeah… so, I'm off to work… at a job… like a normal person."

"Same. See you later, honey."

Lex smiles at Bell. His lover, his queen, and his closest friend. The two separate for the time being, indulging in their normal life happily for the first time since they became vampires. They look on into an uncertain future, knowing that they will always have their family. Knowing that they will always be drawn towards each other. They are their constants in the ever-changing universe. As certain as there is death, as certain as there is change, they know they will remain forever.


End file.
